Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35351960›Full record

ReviewScientific reports2022

Clinical outcomes and revision rates following four-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Anastasios Charalampidis, Nader Hejrati, Hari Ramakonar, Pratipal S Kalsi, Eric M Massicotte, Michael G Fehlings

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Long-term effectiveness of stand-alone anchored spacer in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion compared with cage-plate system: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025
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  6. Bone Fusion in the Cervical Spine: Where Are We Now?Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
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  8. Impact of chronic thrombocytopenia on clinical outcomes after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: an analysis of the nationwide inpatient sample of the US.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Anastasios CharalampidisDepartment of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Nader HejratiDivision of Genetics and Development, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Hari RamakonarDivision of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON, M5T2S8, Canada.
Pratipal S KalsiImperial College Healthcare, NHS Trust Charing Cross Hospital, London, W6 8RF, UK.
Eric M MassicotteDivision of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON, M5T2S8, Canada.
Michael G FehlingsDivision of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 399 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON, M5T2S8, Canada. Michael.Fehlings@uhn.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Studies on outcomes after four-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) are limited in the literature. The purpose of this study was to report on clinical outcomes and revision rates following four-level ACDF. Patients operated with four-level ACDF were identified in a prospectively accrued single institution database. Outcome scores included the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain. Reoperation rates were determined. Any complications were identified from a review of the medical records. Twenty-eight patients with a minimum of 12 months follow up were included in the analysis. The mean age at surgery was 58.5 years. The median radiographic follow up time was 23 (IQR = 16-31.25) months. Cervical lordosis was significantly improved postoperatively (- 1 to - 13, p < 0.001). At the median 24 (IQR = 17.75-39.50) months clinical follow up time, there was a significant improvement in the NDI (38 to 28, p = 0.046) and VAS for neck pain scores (5.1 to 3, p = 0.012). The most common perioperative complication was transient dysphagia (32%) followed by hoarseness (14%). Four (14%) patients required revision surgery at a median 11.5 (IQR = 2-51) months postoperatively. The results of this study indicate that patients who undergo four-level ACDF have a significant improvement in clinical outcomes at median 24 months follow up. Stand-alone four-level ACDF is a valid option for the management of complex cervical degenerative conditions.

Indexed as

Cervical VertebraeSpinal FusionDiskectomyHumansRetrospective StudiesTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID35351960
PMCPMC8964822

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.